One of the things we pride ourselves in as Americans is our excellent educational system. So I really appreciated Mintz's perspective that those who find faults in our political system should take up books, rather than arms.

It is true that education takes hard work and paranoia takes no effort at all. But, as a country, we achieve far more with hard work.

Mintz ends his essay with this incredible statement: After all, this country was founded by lawyers, and it is saved by lawyers.

I won't dispute the first part of the statement, but I take exception to the part that we are "saved by lawyers."

Lawyers are by far the most destructive force to our economy and to preserving our way of life and the everyday freedoms that were common when I was growing up in the 1960s and 1970s than any other single element. You cannot do anything today without a lawyer.

The fear of litigation is causing failed business transactions between willing parties because their companies cannot agree to outrageous terms and conditions in contracts created by lawyers.

Lawyers have also contributed to hours of unproductive time complying with senseless procedures to ensure that nothing is done that would prompt a lawsuit. This has caused plant turnarounds to be more costly, our medical care to be more costly and increased the costs of recreational activities. It's increasing the costs and aggravation in everything we do.

I wouldn't say our country is being saved by lawyers. I'd say quite the opposite.

Mintz succinctly lays out how to use the rule of law to solve the NRA's arguably self-induced paranoia with respect to our nation having reasonable gun controls.

That is to effectively and fairly protect the Bill of Rights, all of them, use the only one of the three branches of government often still apolitical - the judiciary.

The Chronicle, in its editorial policy, has cautiously suggested that the NRA be reasonable and courageous enough to help our nation have a debate, hopefully leading to a reasonable and mutually acceptable conclusion. I would submit that this approach, while praiseworthy, may at this time be rather naïve.

Winners do not negotiate. And thus far the NRA is a winner. As of right now, it has even beaten the president of the United States of America. That being the case, why should the NRA be reasonable?

This is from a lawyer who has been active in shooting sports and competition for more than 50 years, has been a member of the NRA and the ACLU, has not been brainwashed into a state of fear by the NRA, is not afraid of reasonable gun controls and believes that our judiciary holds the keys to our freedoms.

My opinion is that the NRA has changed from being a reputable organization for hunters and those involved in shooting sports into being a shill for gun manufacturers and vendors. The NRA now is not that which I knew as a young sportsman, and I can no longer be a member.

Mintz asks, "When in modern U.S. history has anyone used guns to successfully defend themselves from government tyranny?" Mintz adds in true condescension, "The correct answer, of course, is, never."

I would like Mintz to direct his attention to the Battle of Athens, also known as the McMinn County War, in 1946 in Tennessee. This was not a rebellion against the federal government but was, in fact, an uprising by citizens against a corrupt and intimidating local government that was suspected of electoral fraud. The local government had been investigated by the Justice Department, but it eventually came down to American citizens, some who had just returned from war, to substantiate their suspicions.